Lost Wax bronze casting

First the sculpture is modeled from life in clay. Next a mould is taken from this using a rubber material around the clay and a hard plaster case around this to hold it rigid.

Hot wax is painted into this mould to form a hollow wax copy of the original clay.

This hollow wax is filled with a plaster core and the mould removed. The surface of the wax is then touched up, signed and marked with the edition number before the whole wax surface is covered with more plaster.

This plaster mould with wax inside is heated in a kiln for 4 days until all the wax has been burnt away.

This dry and delicate plaster is packed in sand to protect it and the molten bronze, at 1100C, is poured into the space where the wax was.

When the metal is cool the plaster is broken away from the bronze and cleaned out from inside before welding and finishing the metal to match the original clay.

The surface of the metal is treated with hot chemicals to produce a coloured patination and finally protected with a layer of beeswax.

With only minor cleaning and rewaxing the bronze will last for generations

This page contains links to my modelling page with videos of making a sculpture and information on bronze casting and modelling in clay.

I will be publishing more video clips of modelling projects this summer.